Lacing device for boots and shoes.



PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

M. W. WHITE.

LAGING DEVICE FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, 1906.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELBOURNE W. WHITE, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON,

JERSEY.

NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW LACING DEVICE FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1907.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELBOURNE WV. WVIIITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and Common wealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Lacing Devices for Boots and Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to shoes, and particularly to those in which it is customary to employ eyelets extending all the way to the top of the quarters of the shoe upper.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide the shoe upper with eyelets of such a character as to facilitate the removal and insertion of the portion of the lace which is ordinarily removed from the eyelets to permit the withdrawal of thefoot from the shoe.

Another object is to arrange the eyelets in such manner that the shoe is given a distinctive appearance, and rendered more attractive to the trade.

These objects are accomplished by the use of relatively small eyelets along the lower portions of the quarters and larger eyelets along the upper portions of the quarters. The small eyelets extend along the portion of the upper which is over the instep of the wearer, where the use of large eyelets would be objectionable on account of their tendency to bear upon the instep and render the shoe uncomfortable to the wearer. This tendency is not noticeable above the instep portion where the laces are removed from the eyelets before the removal of the shoe, and where the use of large eyelets is advantageous as previously set forth.

A further advantage in having small eyelets for the portions of the laces which are not removed is that the small eyelets grip the laces more firmly than the larger ones and tend to prevent the laces slipping out of place in the eyelets when the shoe is removed.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a side view of a shoe showing the invention applied thereto.

The numeral 1 designates a shoe upper having small eyelets 2 along the lower portions of the quarters which fit over the instep of the wearer, and larger eyelets 4 along the upper portions of the quarters located above the aforesaid portions. 3 designates the portion of the lace which is not removed from the eyelets 2 when the shoe is removed from the foot. 5 designates the portion oi the lace which is removed from the eyelets 4 in order to permit removal of the shoe. It will be seen that the lace may be readily removed from the eyelets 4, as the tendency of the lacing tip to catch and stick in the eyelets is obviated by the use of large eyelets. In lacing the shoe, the lacing tip is readily placed through the eyelets 4 and the lace drawn through without the doubling and twisting ordinarily experienced when small eyelets are used.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is A shoe having its upper provided with relatively small eyelets at its lower portion where the laces are not removed and provided at its upper portion with a series of pairs of larger eyelets to facilitate the removal and insertion of the laces.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

I MELBOURNE WV. WHITE.

\Vitnesses:

CHARLES H. WILSON, NELSON W. HOWARD. 

